The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a significant penalty on Air India for operating a flight with non-qualified crew members, a move highlighting the seriousness of safety protocol violations in the aviation industry.

Furthermore, Air India’s director of training has also been suspended by DGCA for the violations. “A penalty of Rs 90 lakh has been levied on Air India for operating a flight commanded by a non-trainer line captain paired with a first officer who was not fully qualified. This scheduling incident, reported as having serious safety ramifications, came to light through a voluntary report submitted by Air India on July 10, 2024,” said an official statement from DGCA.